Destiny? Really?
by Princess Mariana
Summary: Rachel is returning to her family for the summer.She meets Paul, who keeps on being yelled at by her brother.  Longer summary inside.
1. Prologue: Coming Home

'Destiny'? Really?

Prologue

Going Home

**Full Summary: **After graduating from college and having dreams of becoming a psychiatrist, Rachel Black returns, just for the summer, to her hometown, La Push, Washington. Once there, she befriends Leah Clearwater, helps Emily Uley out at bonfires, gets her father, Billy Black, back to eating _healthy_ food, helping her brother, Jacob Black, with his problems that she doesn't quite understand, helps some confused teens, and bonds with her sister, Rebecca Black, who she hasn't seen for years. Then things get complicated. For some reason, Jacob is threatening his friend, Paul, at every turn. But Rachel doesn't understand _why_. She liked Paul. He was a nice guy, over all, even if he did have a quick temper. She liked hanging out with him. In an attempt to understand, Rachel discovers that the legends of her heritage might actually be true.

**Hiya! I'm really excited about this! I love the Paul/Rachel fanfictions a lot. It seems hilarious that the angriest werewolf gets paired with **_**Jacob's**_** sister. Anways, I do not own Twilight, though I wish I did, because that'd mean that I'd have money to spair, which is always nice. :)**

Erg. Boys. Always having a thousand things on there mind to remember their older sisters. I supposed the only thing I could dowas walk or wait. Let's see. From my current location to my house it was about...two miles. That wasn't too bad. I glanced at my watch. Two hours. He was two hours late. It would serve him right to not find me here. I started the trek home.

One thing about this place that I loved was that it was so _green_. I loved the greenness. It made me comfortable. It also reminded me of my mom. A sad smile emerged on my face. I suppose I knew her for about four years of my life. Her favorite color was green, too. I had inherited that from her, though I hadn't inherited much else. I had her small figure. However, it was otherwise hard to tell we were related. My dark green eyes were from my dad. Everything else was from my grandmother on my dad's side. My slightly-dark brown hair was from her. I even wore it the same way as her, usually: in a loose bun or in two braids. Now I had it in the 'two braids' style.

I think, sadly enough, I missed Grandmother more than Mother. Even though she had left this world when I was ten, she still was my number one role model. Because of her, I learned how to truely listen, though, unlike her, it made me incredibly shy. Rebecca was the opposite.

I smiled at the thought of my sister. If she had been in my place she would have sticked around and waited for Jacob, then killed him for being late, instead of walking like I was currently doing. Rebecca was quite a person. She was as outgoing as I was shy. She talked a lot, had been very popular in our highschool days, and was the rebel. In eight grade she had dyed her hair pink. Dad had grounded her for two months after that episode. She earned an additional three months when she snuck out with her boyfriend at midnight one night. According to Dad, our mother had been the same way, always doing rash things. And so it was no surprise to any of us that Rebecca quickly ran off and got married before going to college. I grinned, remembering going to the wedding. The groom, Tom, looked terrified while Rebecca had been exstatic. I almost felt sorry for him, but they were a great couple. Even Dad, who disapproved of the marriage, had to agree that Tom and Rebecca were meant for each other. Despite the fact that I was happy for her, I missed my twin sister.

A horn honked, yanking me out of my thoughts. I looked around and saw Jacob looking at me with an amused expression from an unfamiliar blue truck. "Planning on walking the whole way, stranger?" he asked me, laughing.

I grinned. "Well, I do have quite a neglectful brother. Have you heard of him?"

"I do believe I have. Would you like a ride?"

I laughed and jogged to the other side of the car and plopped down in the seat next to him. "How's it going, Jacob?" I inquired.

"Same old. I've got a girlfriend now. Did I tell you about her?"

I rolled my eyes. "Just a bit. Is this your new car?"

He nodded and began to talk all about it as he began to drive. I quickly cut him off be asking, "So what is your excuse for being late?"

My little brother looked slightly uncomfortable. "Um...You wouldn't understand," he mumbled.

"Just talk," I advised him. "It'll help."

"A true shrink," he teased, then became more serious. "Paul isn't able to change. Somethings wrong. Well, actually, maybe not. He's too happy. And Paul isn't a happy person. Well, he is, but he doesn't smile as much. He was almost _glowing_ when I saw him last. And he couldn't have imprinted or anything. He told us so. He said that the gravity thing didn't happen. He just feels happy. And we have _no idea_ why! Paul isn't one to look happy! He's always angry! It's frustrating."

"Maybe he fell in love," I sugested.

"No, he said he hasn't and he wouldn't lie," Jacob said glumly. "And if he did, I would really feel bad for the girl."

I scowled at him and said fiercely, "Be nice to your friends, Jacob! I'm sure he's a perfectly fine boy!"

"Sure, but he's always violent and angry, even unpurposefully. Makes me almost feel sorry for the guy."

"Why's he always angry?" I asked curiously.

"Well, he's not _always_ angry," Jacob admitted. "He just has a bad temper."

"And you get along with him?" I said, surprised. "I've got to meet this guy who can handle all your snide comments."

"No. You are to _stay away_ from Paul," Jacob sternly ordered me. "He is dangerous."

"Alright," I said quietly, then I brightened. "So when do I get to see Embry and Quil, who are also in on this 'thing' that influences your size?"

He laughed. "Soon. I still can't believe you are accepting this so easily. I mean, I did grow about a foot or two in a short time span. Rebecca wouldn't stop pestering me for weeks."

I shrugged. "Dad told me that he knew and that it was fine. And I know Dad doesn't have it in for you. Though I still don't classify it as 'fine'," I mock frowned. "You are making me feel _very_ short."

"You're short anyways."

"Hey! I'm the average height of a woman!"

"Which, compared to most guys, is short," he reminded me smugly.

"Cruel world," I muttered.

He laughed. Changing the subject, Jacob asked me, "So are you excited to see Rebecca again?"

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed. "I haven't seen her in years! I talk to her on the phone and stuff, but I see _you_ more than I see her!"

"Is that an insult?" he gasped, pretending to be offended.

I laughed. "No, it's just that Rebecca is female, therefore more interesting to talk to."

"What do you talk about?" he questioned me suspiciously.

"Girl talk," I replied, grinning mischieviously. "You know, makeup, fashion, celebrities, _guys_, etc."

"You don't wear makeup, at least not a noticable amount, and you don't care about fashion or celebrities," he informed me with a playful scowl. "And you had _better not_ be talking about boys."

"Yes, father," I teased. "I won't associate myself with any men without your permission."

He rolled his eyes. "You need to get a boyfriend, one I approve of."

"I haven't had any boyfriends that you haven't approved of," I pointed out. "Except that one...but that was when I was fourteen, so I doubt that counts."

"And he was your _only_ boyfriend, thankfully. I still can't believe you dated that jerk."

"It was only so Rebecca could go on a double date for the experience. And then Rebecca somehow got me to keep it steady. However _you_ decided to make us break up," I said with a smile.

"He was a creeper!" Jacob protested. "He would follow you around a lot and take pictures which he _slept_ with! Even I, at eleven, knew that he was one of those bastards that wasn't worthy of my sister."

"So dumping puding on him, publicly humilating him multiple times, threatening him with an actual gun, stalking us on our dates, keeping-"

"Alright, alright. So maybe I was a little over the top, but you were _way_ too young to be dating!"

"And Rebecca wasn't?"

"Rebecca is different. She wasn't the naive, innocent, dense sister that you were, and are," Jacob said with a grin. "And we're here."

In a flash he had exited the car. In my mock fury, I attempted to do the same. "Jacob Black! You come back of here _now_!" I cried, running after him. "Who are you calling dense, innocent, and niave?"

"You!" he shouted back.

I chased him, laughing, and entered my old house, my home.

**So what do you think? This is somewhat like an introduction, or something like that. Paul isn't really introduced yet, just mentioned. He will hopefully appear in the next chapter, though that might be rushing things a bit...I tend to rush things a lot. Please review! Reviews make me happy!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Bonfire

'Destiny' Really

Chapter 1

**I do not own Twilight. **

Inhaling the smoky smell of the fire, I looked around with a small smile. I recognized Embry Call, who looked very different than how I remembered him; he looked tall and burly. He was talking to a tall man and a shorter, pretty woman. I also spotted Quil Ateara, slightly isolated from everyone else, sitting next to a toddler sitting on a tree stump, talking animatedly. He, like Embry, was tall and muscular. I shook my head slightly; Jacob had been right, all of his friends here looked like that. I wondered if it was something genetic or something like that. I was never really good with biology.

Emily Uley, who had befriended me a few days after I had returned to La Push, stood, close to the foresty area, with her husband and a group of boys I didn't recognized. All of them had hotdogs in hand. I scanned the crowd again; Charlie Swan was sitting with Sue Clearwater. A few feet away from them, Sue's son, Seth, was sitting with two boys on a table. I bit my lip expectantly; where was she? She had promised that she would be here!

As if hearing my thoughts, I heard a familiar voice calling out, "Over here Rachel!"

I spun around and saw Leah Clearwater sitting on a log, her back to the fire. Grinning, I walked over to her and sat on a tree stump across from where she sat. The fire behind her made her black hair seem to glow. The light also was very bright. I blinked a bit before saying, "Hi! How's life?"

She sighed, her dark eyes glinted mischievously, and informed me, "I've been _dreaming_ of cookies."

I shrugged; "You were stressed; it's a stress reliever. Anyways, I'm sure you got Seth's forever adoration for all those batches. I distinctly remember Jacob vowing to do anything for me if I continued to cook. I would presume that _your_ little brother would do the same."

Leah snorted; "Yeah, right. And Paul is the Easter bunny."

"That'd be an easier thing to imagine if I knew what he actually _looked _like," I said, giving her a look.

"Nuh-uh," she said, shaking her head. "He's dangerous."

I rolled my eyes. "You and Jacob. Anyways, did you read that book I gave you?"

"Yes," she groaned. "_That_ has been giving me _nightmares_. How can you stand all of that fluff? It's all," she raised her pitch a couple levels, "'Oh, my _god!_ He looked at me, but I still hate him, but I love him, and he's horrible, but he's amazing, but-'"

I giggled and quickly broke her off, "It helps people get over things. It actually works."

"Yeah," she muttered. "Instead of worrying and stressing about one thing, it makes us gag."

"And it proves how more stressful your life _could_ be," I added, grinning.

"Those little idiots _make_ their lives stressful!" Leah cried, throwing up her hands. "You either like the guy or you don't! It isn't that difficult!"

"Actually," I automatically corrected her, "it's hard for people, especially females or teenagers, to identify the differences between their hormones telling their brain the males they are attracted to, which is really just lust, which is created by the scent we smell subconsciously. Actually being in love-"

"Okay, okay, it's complicated. Let's leave it at that!" Leah hurriedly intersected my lecture.

I laughed. "It's actually really interesting! All that stuff about how closely our bodies are related to animals, if the reasearchers are _correct,_ that is. It almost convinced me that evolution is real."

"You don't believe in evolution?"

"I don't know. It doesn't concern me if we are related to monkeys or whatnot. I'm a sociologist, not a historian, with good reason."

It was Leah's turn to laugh. "How is Jacob doing?" she inquired when she was done laughing. "I haven't heard, um, _talked_ to him lately."

I sighed. "He's worried. For a nineteen year old, he seems to be way too stressed. I think that talking about it helps but..." I trailed off with another sigh.

"It's about _Paul_," Leah said, irritated. "I'd blame him, but Paul wouldn't be so cheerful on purposed."

"Paul still not 'changing' or whatever he's supposed to do?" I asked casually. This 'Paul' guy had been a worry of both Jacob and Leah.

"Yeah. The younger guys are around him a lot, trying to annoy him, and even _that's_ not working."

I gave her a questioning look. She explained, "Those guys can get _anyone_ annoyed. They can get even _Emily_ annoyed at times."

"Emily? Annoyed?" I said, watching her carefully, trying to sound unconcerned. Emily was a touchy subject.

Leah noticed me tentative look and sighed. Looking away from me, she opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it. I waited patiently. It seemed very quite between us. The background noises, the guys talking loudly and the flames crackling, seemed somewhat muffled. I focused all my attention on my friend sitting in front of me. Finally, she spoke; "I talked to Emily today." She paused and took a deep breath. "It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I guess I don't think of Sam as strongly as I used to. I guess, since the guys are starting to find their soul mates, mine'll come along eventually. It's not like I don't have time to spare."

I blinked at the word 'soul mates'. It seemed everyone here used that term. Jacob used it to refer to his girlfriend at times, as did a few of the other guys I'd talked to. I wondered why Leah said it with a tired tone. I guess she wanted her 'soul mate' _now_. I knew the feeling. Oh, the joys of sixteen year old hormones.

Leah continued, "It was somewhat awkward. So we," as she leaned forward, her eyes flickered to mine; they shined with amusement, "baked cookies."

I laughed, and said, somewhat defensively, "It helps with stress or any other strong emotions. Your cousin is _smart_!"

Leah shrugged, leaning back; "If you say so." I could tell by her tone that this subject was over. Well, at least she was improving. Actually talking to Emily? That would've been impossible for her a week ago. I wanted to smile smugly, but then Leah would probably laugh at me.

"So, is there a reason all you do is hang out with guys?" I asked her mischievously, going onto a new subject.

Shrugging again, she replied, "I have my reasons. It's a secret for _Jacob_ to tell you."

I groaned; "There are _way_ too many of those. Its days like these I wish I could read minds."

She laughed at that. I mock-glared at her. Before either of us could say anything else, Rebecca strode over to us, dragging along her husband who looked scared. "Hiya, girl!" she chirped. "Leah, can you excuse us for a minute? Tom'll keep you company." So that's why he was petrified; Tom was, in contrast to Rebecca, shy. "I have to kidnap my sister who has _no_ fashion sense."

Leah laughed at me as Rebecca grabbed my arm and dragged me away to the beginning of the dark forest that was next to the bonfire. We passed Emily and the guys she was talking to. I sent her pleadful look, which she only grinned to. Traitor.

"What?" I asked Rebecca, trying not to scowl, when she pushed me toward a tree. I placed my hands behind me on the tree and leaned back.

My evil twin smirked at me, her arms crossed. "I have a proposition for you. One that you have _no choice_ but to agree to." I rolled my eyes and she continued, "Everyday this summer I get to dress you up and I'll stay in La Push."

I stared at her for a split second before coming to my senses. "You're planning on living here anyways; you just want to get something from me."

"Of course, dear," she said sweetly. "But, you forget, you've still got to play my dress-up doll this summer, or else."

"Or else _what_?" I challenged.

"I'll tell Jacob that you've got a secret boyfriend."

"I don't."

"So?"

"I have some blackmail that I can do on you too, you know," I threatened.

"I still consider it settled," she said firmly, frowning. "You'll never get a boyfriend, much less a _husband_, unless you have my help, since luck doesn't seem to help you at all. To make you feel better, I won't make you wear anything that Dad and Jacob don't approve of, if they have a good reason."

"No."

"I'll buy you ice-cream, the way you like it, once a week," Rebecca added, easily bribing me. "And I'll pay for all the equipment I need to make you look dateable."

"Done." It was almost sad that I was bought by _ice-cream_, but what can I say? For six years I had to survive without the heavenly stuff. From what I learned from one of my professors, ice cream cheered up almost everyone. (He was off-duty when he said this). "And what do you mean 'look dateable'? Do I look undateable?"

"Yep," she easily answered, then quickly continued. "I mean, Rachel, you look nice and everything, but you look taken. Seriously. Look at yourself. At our age, to date, your clothes need to scream 'I want to date!' so there's no misunderstanding. Guys are way too cautious at our age."

"So why are you moving here?" I asked her cautiously.

With a sigh, she said, "Well you know how it is. With what's going on with me and Tom, it'll be nice to have my family and Tom's family here to help us. It's a life-changing thing, you know..."

"What is it?" I prompted patiently. From past experience from my sister I knew better than to suspect the worst.

"Well, it just happens that I'm...I'm...I'm pregnant," she finished, her face breaking out in a grin at the last part.

I stared at her for a second, before shrieking, "You're _pregnant!_ I can't believe! Oh, oh, that's great! Oh my god! That's-that's _awesome_! When is it due? Are you really serious? _Oh, my god,_ Rebecca!"

Shaking her head slightly, the-eventually-to-be-mother commented, trying to hide her obvious excitement, "The one thing that would get my passive sister to freak out."

I ignored her. "Does Tom know?"

"Of course he does; that's why we decided to move back here, you know," she said, rolling her eyes. Then, losing her calm demeanor, she said, "Can you really believe it, Rachel? I'm pregnant!"

I don't know who shrieked first, but soon we were hugging at jumping up and down, with Rebecca repeating, "Oh my god, oh my god!"

"What are you two up to?" a familiar voice drawled.

Still embracing each other, Rebecca and I turned looked at our brother who was leaning lazily against a tree. "Go away Jacob!" Rebecca snapped.

"Yeah," I added, a little more gently. "We're having a female moment."

"Well, I'm sure all the people at the bonfire can hear you. What's the big news?" he asked, looking somewhat interested.

Unable to hide the noise and her enthusiasm, Rebecca cried, "I'm pregnant!"

The look on Jacob's face was priceless. His eyes went big and his jaw dropped. It was moments like this that reminded me that he really _was_ younger than me, despite his appearance. After a few moments of Jacob's gawking and Rebecca's beaming, Jacob finally spoke; "_Finally_!"

Rebecca glared at him, still grinning. "That _exactly _what Tom said! You guys are _so_ unsupportive!"

Jacob shrugged, still grinning. "When are you telling Dad?"

"Soon, I hope," Rebecca said with a giggle.

Rebecca separated from me and went up to Jacob, hugging him fiercely. "You're going to be an uncle," she commented happily.

"I hate to break up your family emotional-fest," a bored voice said, "but, Jacob, Paul is acting _really_ weird."

I turned to see Leah, back to her cynical attitude, leaning against a tree, watching us. I raised an eyebrow at her; she smirked. Leah was a strange girl, I'll give her that.

"What did he do?" Jacob asked somewhat anxiously as Rebecca walked back to me.

"Come on," my sister said grabbing my wrist and pulling me back to the bonfire. "Let's leave little Jakey to business."

"You know, I _am_ a foot taller than you!" Jacob called after us.

"Your point?" I yelled back.

"You're growing a personality," Rebecca sighed, nodding proudly.

"Whatever," I said with a laugh. "At least, that's what _you'd_ say."

"You know me too well."

We reached the bonfire area. My evil twin dragged over to a log. She sat down and I did the same right next to her. "Beckie!" a voice called out in relief.

My sister instantly stood up and embraced Tom as he practically ran to us. They made lip-contact for about a minute. I grimaced. Luckily, Embry came up to us and saved me. "Get a room, you two!" he told them, gagging.

The love birds broke off and Rebecca turned slightly, still in Tom's embrace, her hands on his chest, and she glared Embry. Tom, meanwhile, looked embarrassed. I smiled; they were such a fun couple to observe. I guess it's true what they say: opposites attract. "How's it going?" I asked the still-gagging boy.

"Great! Finished that degree thingy yet?"

"Yep," I said cheerfully. "I think I got a job, too."

His eyes went wide; "Where?"

"It's a secret."

"Come on Rachel!" This time it was Rebecca who spoke. "We want to know if you're staying or leaving! Is that so much to ask?"

"I'm not telling. You'll know at the end of the summer, I promise."

Rebecca began muttering about annoying sisters; Embry just laughed. "Embry," Jacob's voice called out as he jogged over to where our group stood. "Where's Paul?"

Embry pointed to a man standing in close to the water. "He's over there, pacing. He thinks he's going crazy, and frankly I agree. He's going on about hearing angels or something."

Jacob shook his head. "He's still overly happy?" Without waiting for a reply, my little brother shouted, "Paul! Come over here right now!"

The man turned and looked at Jacob. Slowly, the man made his way towards us. When he reached us, he gave Jacob a long look. "Yeah?"

The man was tall and strong-looking, like Jacob and most of his friends. He was about an inch taller than Jacob, making him about six inches taller than me. I had to look up to see his face. He could be called handsome, but I'm bad at judging that kind of stuff. His dark black hair was, like Embry's, cropped slightly short. All in all, he had a nice appearance.

"What's up _now_?" Jacob asked, somehow keeping his frustration mostly out of his voice.

The man, Paul, shrugged and replied, "I've been hearing an angel's voice now, and a heavenly scent. And I felt my world shift slightly about twenty minutes ago. It was weird. I think I've gone insane."

"Are you hearing the voices in your head?" Jacob inquired.

Paul shook his head; "Nope. It blends in with the conversation around us, I don't know what its saying, and I don't hear it constantly."

"Then you probably aren't crazy," my little brother said with a small smile.

"'Probably'? Thanks," he muttered, then he looked Jacob straight in the eye. "When can I shift again?"

Jacob shrugged, then glanced cautiously at Rebecca, Tom, and me. Embry and Paul followed his line of vision. "Don't worry," I told them. "It doesn't make any sense. You're secret is safe."

"You never know," Jacob said wearily as Embry gasped, "Oh, no way, man! You've got to be _kidding_ me! Paul, it was nice knowing you."

Jacob's gaze snapped towards Paul, who looked shocked. My brother's gaze then drifted over to Rebecca and Tom, to me, back to Paul, to me, and finally resting on Paul. "_YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!_" Jacob shouted at the top of his lungs.

Paul began to growl, literally. Embry said, an amused grin plastered on his face, "Come on you three, let's leave these two to kill each other. I think Paul's just overcome his mental problems."

Embry grabbed me arm and began to drag me off. Rebecca and Tom followed us. "But what's going on?" I asked.

"Later," was all he said.

I sighed, and turned slightly to see my brother and Paul. Jacob was shaking, _a lot_, while Paul just looked bewildered. I had a feeling that the taller man didn't look confused often. Sighing again, I let Embry drag me away from the fight.

**A/N: Please review! It makes me happy! I hope that this wasn't too short. The word-processing software thingy that I use doesn't have word count, so I don't really know if it's long or not. And I'm awful at just eyeing it. **

**Just and FYI, Paul and Rachel are the same age in this. Since I, the all powerful author of this story, can control my newly created word with my magical words, I can do stuff like change ages. While I'm at changing things, becoming a shrink, in this world, will take four years. In reality, I think it takes ten years...? Anyway, I didn't want Rachel to be ancient, since twenty eight is **_**so**_** ancient, so I changed that a bit. This also takes place **_**after**_** the last Twilight book which I can't remember the name of. Jacob, by the way, is about eighteen in this; I'm not sure if that's correct or not, but oh, well. **

**Thank you so much for reading!**

**-Princess Mariana :)**

**P.S. I'll be updating again in about a week...or two, because I want to finish the next chapter for the other fan fictions I'm writing. I decided to even it out. I'll try to update as soon as possible, though. :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Meeting Paul

'Destiny'? Really?

Chapter 2

Meeting Paul

I do not own Twilight. I'm not smart enough to think up or find all those names and then the randomly changing plot…my brain would melt from all the work.

Dedicated to Jaime2772 for reminding me to update. And, of course, everyone else who has reminded me, but Jaime2772 was the one to get me to do it this time around.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Are you coming down any time this year?" Jacob called up the stairs.

I groaned. "No."

"Come on Rachel!" Rebecca urged. "It's not _that_ bad."

"This outfit is way too...skimpy for my comfort level," I protested.

"How bad can it be?" Dad asked.

"Very bad," I replied.

"Oh, come_ on_," my evil twin sister cried, impatient. "We have people to see, boys to snag."

"'Boys to snag'?" Tom repeated, aghast.

"For just Rachel, of course," Rebecca automatically amended. "_No_ man can replace _you_." I pictured her leaning in and kissing Tom on the mouth, since that's what she was probably doing.

"Help! Save us!" Jacob pretended to plead. "Rachel! Only you can stop all this romance!"

"I'm going back to bed," I informed my small family.

As I turned to leave, Rebecca's voice drifted lazily towards me (evidentially done with her make-out session), "Don't make me call off our deal."

There was _no way_ I would go through the torture of playing Barbie doll and not get my reward. I stiffened, scowled and marched down the stairs like a rebellious teenager. Rebecca was really rubbing off on me. As I entered the kitchen, I looked around. As far away from me as possible, there was a black stove that was built into the wall. Above that was a black microwave. Built in white shelves were to the stove's left and right, slightly clashing with the off-white paint that was on the wall. In front of all that was a circular, wooden, ancient table, with seven mostly un-matching seats in which my family sat.

My said family was currently taking in my 'new look'. My dark brown hair was down in waves, something very unusual for me. Rebecca had made me wear a plain blue baby-doll shirt that's neckline was a little too low for my standards, but not that bad compared to what most girls at my old high school wore. Then she had forced me into a jeans skirt that to just a little above my knee. Erg. But then she _still_ wasn't done. My _evil_ twin sister had stepped back and looked me over. According to her, something was not quite right. So she had located my jewelry box and went through its barely-used contents. The only thing that she decided was 'acceptable' for my outfit was a simple necklace with a dark green stone heart pendant. It 'matched my eyes', which wasn't surprising since it was first given to my grandmother by my grandfather because it matched _her_ eyes. Then, according to her, I was complete. But 'next time' it would be better, since she had more experience now. Oh, joy. I returned my thought to my speculating family. Hopefully _someone_ would disapprove and save me from this.

Dad shrugged and said, "It looks good on you, Rachel."

I grimaced and looked at Jacob for aid, knowing that Tom wouldn't be able to help me in _this_ crisis. Jacob, luckily, was scowling at Rebecca. "She can't go out in _that_," he snapped, waving his hand vaguely at my attire.

"Why not?" Rebecca demanded, crossing her arms.

"It'll attract _guys_!" he cried. "That's the _last_ thing she needs!"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. "Duh! That's the whole _point_! Rachel needs to get a guy. There is _no _way my little sister is going to remain _single_ forever!" She said 'single' as if it were distasteful.

"You're only about five minutes older than me!" I reminded her fiercely. I was _not_ her 'little sister'.

Both my siblings ignored me and glared at each other. "Okay," Tom thankfully interjected. "Peace, love, harmony. Rachel isn't going to wear that outfit anywhere out of La Push and everyone knows that Jacob is little brother. No guy in his right mind is going to approach her."  
"You approached me," Rebecca pointed out, her annoyance at Jacob forgotten.

Tom shrugged. "Who said I was in my right mind?"

Jacob laughed at that. Trust Tom to level out the tension in the room. I loved having him for a brother-in-law. "Okay, then!" Rebecca announced to the room. "We're going to be on the beach, eating breakfast. You guys will stay here or go anywhere _but _the beach. We don't want anyone to think Rachel's taken."

Jacob opened his mouth to protest, but my amazing brother-in-law swiftly dived in; "Why can't I go? _You're_ taken."

"Yes, but darling," Rebecca said, flipping her hair behind her shoulder again, this time on the other side, "if you were there, _I'd_ look like the single one, not Rachel. Rachel just has this air of..._maturity_, as do you. Everyone'd think that you two were an item."

I grimaced. "Thanks Rebecca," I said sarcastically. "That's a _lovely _mental image. No offense Tom."

"Oh, I agree," Tom said, grinning.

"Okay; I know you guys like to chat, but aren't you missing something _vital_?" Jacob interupted, looking frustrated.

"What?" Rebecca asked innocently.

"Rachel _is not_ allowed to _date_," he spat out the word 'date', "anyone without _my_ permission."

"She already has _one_ father," Rebecca said, annoyed. "She doesn't need two."

"You guys?" I said tentatively and was ignored.

"Fine," Jacob snapped back at our sister. "Go off and have _fun_. But I'm warning you. If something bad happens, _you're_ to blame."

"Fine," Rebecca said smugly. "Let's go Rachel. I already packed our breakfast, so don't worry about that."

"Rebecca making breakfast is something to worry about in itself," Tom muttered under his breath and earned a soft (well, I think it was soft) smack on the head.

"Look!" Rebecca said, physically shaking me from my small nap. "Guys are coming."

Yawning, I sat up, stretched, unwound from the blanket that I was curled up in, and brushed off the sand on my legs and skirt. When I was done, I looked at what she was pointing at. Sure enough, a group of guys was slowly making their way towards us along the shoreline. Squinting, I observed, "Yeah. That's Jake and his friends, right?"

"Oh, right," Rebecca said with a sigh, then perked up. "And Tom's with them!"

She instantly lept up and skipped toward the group who had already stopped walking. "Tom!" she exclaimed.

Tom lifted his head a grinned happily at the sight of his wife. I took my eyes of them, slightly because I was envious at what they shared, but mostly because they should have a little privacy. Instead I turned my attention to the rest of the newcomers. They were all men, though some of them might have been boy. Slowly I stood and began to walk toward the little crowd. The group was beginning to separate. The younger-looking men, who I presumed were young teens, stood mostly together, laughing loudly and shoving each other. The men who were probably _actual_ men looked slightly more serious in another group, but were also laughing and joking around. I recognized a few faces in the latter group. Among them was my brother, standing in a circle with a small clump of friends. "Hey, Jake!" I called out.

He looked up, along with the rest of his friends. The men went back to their conversations after a quick glance at me, except for the guys talking with Jacob. I approached them, smiling. "Rachel," he greeted me, an unknown emotion in his voice, his face strained.

"Are you alright?" I asked in concern.

He shrugged. One of his friends quickly stepped in. "Rachel, I haven't seen you around lately. Have you graduated yet?" It was Sam Uley, someone a barely knew from my high school years.

"It has been awhile, Sam," I replied cheerfully. "And, yes, I have graduated, _finally_."

"You two know each other?" Embry, also in the small circle, said, surprised.

"Yeah. We graduated together." I grinned. "Don't you remember? You _were _there." His expression was blank. "Susan Curt sat next to me," I prompted mentioning the name of one of his past crushes.

Recognition filled his face. "Oh, yeah," he said, laughing.

I looked at my brother, wondering what he was doing during the small exchange. His glower was fixed on one of the men across from him. Glancing that way I saw Paul, who I remembered from the bonfire. Paul, instead of staring back at Jake, was gazing at me. Next to him, Quil watched Jake, a weary expression on his face. I wondered what was going on, but I knew better than to ask. "So," I said somewhat awkwardly, "I better get going. Dad's expecting me soon and since Rebecca's occupied," I gestured at the making-out couple to our right, "I will be able to escape. It was nice seeing you guys again."

I turned to leave, hearing a few 'byes'. Slowly I made my way across the beach back to my house. The sand was hot on my bare feet, reminding me of my sandals I had left near the breakfast basket. With a sigh and a good-natured smile, I walked over to the area where the objects lay. Bending over, I picked them up, cradling the basket to my chest with one hand and holding onto the straps of the sandals with the other, refusing to wear them. The warm sand between my toes felt too good. It was rare for it to be warm in La Push.

"Hey! Rachel!" I heard a voice shout from behind me.

It was Paul. He jogged up to me, a nervous expression on his face. "Hey," I greeted him friendlily.

"Can I walk back with you?" he inquired anxiously. "I, um, well Jake told me to talk to your dad about something and since you were going I thought that I might go with, you know, for companionship sake. Though if you don't want to I would completely understand."

He was rambling. I quickly stopped him; "Yeah; it'd be nice to have company."

The poor guy sagged in relief. "Thanks."

As we began to walk, I felt him examining me. I could hardly blame him; I had done the same thing at the bonfire. Though there was something about his expression that was a little off. I didn't know what it was, but I had a feeling it had something to do with why Jake had attacked him at the bonfire.

"So how old are you?" I asked. "All you guys seem to look the same; I can't really tell anymore."

"I'm twenty-three. You?"

"Twenty-two. I guess you were in the grade above me," I reasoned. "That's probably why I don't remember you."

"Wait," Paul said, considering something for a moment, "didn't you say you graduated with Sam?"

"Right. I skipped a couple grade-school years," I explained, shrugging. "I wanted to go to college as soon as possible."

"Wow. You must be really smart then," he mused, sounding impressed.

I laughed. "I'm more of a bookworm. I absorb most of what I read. And I had absolutely nothing else to do except for studying."

"No boyfriends then?" he guessed, surprised again.

"One," I admitted, "and he didn't last long, thanks to Jake."

"He didn't approve?"

"Yeah...and I guess I can see his point. Owen _was_ a little on the creeper side."

"Owen? Owen McGraiden?" Paul asked.

"Yeah. You know him?"

"He was in my grade," he said with a smile. "That guy was a little weird. He left Washington right after he graduated and moved to Alaska or something."

"_Alaska_," I shuddered. "That place is _way_ too cold."

"You don't like the cold?"  
"I like the cold, as in the temperature _here_, but not the really freezing temperatures. I get cold way too fast."

He chuckled at my grimace, and then commented, "We're here."

I looked up. "Oh, right. Well, it was nice talking to you. Thanks for walking with me."

"It was my pleasure."

I examined my home with a smile. Every time I saw it, a feeling of warmth swept through me. I had been gone way too long. Slowly we walked into the house. "Dad, I'm back and Paul's with me," I called out into the kitchen. My dad wheeled himself into the living room, which we were in, smiling brightly. "Hi, Rachel, Paul."

"Paul wanted to talk to you about something," I said as I made my way to the stairs. "I'll be in my room if you need anything."

A/N: Okay. I'm _really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really_ sorry for taking so long to update. Just an FYI, if you haven't already realized this, I am prone to get into writer's blocks a lot. And when I write 'a lot' I _mean_ A LOT. So sorry. But I suppose that isn't much of an excuse, especially for this chapter since it has been written for about two months, I think, and I haven't updated because I keep forgetting. Thanks you Jaime2772 for reminding me!

Oh, and now I have a solid excuse for not updating this coming year. School is starting. And school means schoolwork and a social life. I am no longer the hermit I was this summer. Then again, it won't really affect my updating habits….Sorry again!

I hope you people like this chapter! I wanted Rachel to actually _meet _Paul and not see him. I hope he isn't _too_ out of character. I'm still trying to figure out how guys' minds work, to no avail. Oh, well.

And if anyone has any pointers on getting out of writers blocks, they would be greatly appreciated!


	4. Chapter 3: Cookies and Splashing

'Destiny'? Really?

Chapter 3

Cookies and Splashing

I totally own Twilight….If you believed that, then read this site's name. If you still believed my blatant lie, then I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT. L I have am sadly not a millionaire.

Dedicated to Jaime2772 for reminding me to update. And, of course, everyone else who has reminded me, but Jaime2772 was the one to get me to do it this time around.

Enjoy!

* * *

I sat uneasily across from Rachel's father. Luckily, he didn't want to kill me for imprinting on his daughter; he even gave me pointers. However, now it was awkward. Billy, though not threatening, didn't seem to like the idea that Rachel wasn't, in his words, 'his little girl anymore'. I could sort of understand that...Okay, who was I kidding? I didn't understand it, but I could respect it at least. If I wanted anything to do with Rachel, I'd have to respect it.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_ The phone rang. Rachel shouted that she'd answer it. I savored the sound of her voice hungrily. Due to my improved hearing, I could hear her conversation, at least her side of it. I listened earnestly, not even slightly ashamed at eavesdropping. Well, maybe a little, but it wasn't stopping me.

"Hello?"

...

"Oh, hi Emily. How's it going?"

...

"Cookies? Wow. You bake those more than _I_ do."

...

Rachel laughed. I closed my eyes at the sound. "I have to feed two guys and _that's_ bad enough. I don't know how you do ten times that amount."

...

"I can bake some, too," Rachel volunteered cheerfully.

...

"It won't be any trouble. Cooking's fun."

...

"Yeah. I suppose I'll _have_ to go to the bonfire, then," she sighed, but it wasn't an unhappy sigh.

...

"Okay. See you tonight."

I heard the phone hang up. There was a pause and then a door opened. "Dad!" Rachel ran down the stairs and dashed into the living room, where we were sitting. "Can I bake a couple of batches of cookies for the bonfire tonight?"  
"Yeah, sure," Billy shrugged, but he had smiled after hearing 'cookies'.

"Do you need any help?" I asked, hoping that she'd say 'yes'.

"Oh, sure. It might take awhile, though..." she said hesitantly, but her face lit up.

I was already standing. "I have all day."

I wasn't sure how I ended up in this position. This morning I had decided to study all day. Then I was dragged to the beach. After that I thought I would be free. But then I found myself offering to bake cookies. And so now, here I was, baking cookies, and somehow Paul had entered the picture. Of course I was glad to be baking with someone, the more the merrier, but I still couldn't understand why a guy, who I barely knew, would want to bake cookies with me.

Currently we were waiting, our first break in a couple of hours, for the seventh batch to finish so we could put in the eighth batch. "So, are you going to the bonfire?" I asked idly.

"Yeah."

"Oh...So do you have any siblings?"

"Nope."

"Oh...So how long have you been friends with Jake?"

"About four years."

"Oh." This guy was not the conversationalist, at least not at this present moment.

I glanced at the timer and almost groaned. This was going to be an awkward half-hour. Suddenly Paul said something; "Are you staying in La Push after this summer?"

I grinned mischievously. "It's a secret. I've decided to keep it to myself for revenge."

"Against who?"

"Dad and Jake. They didn't tell me about the...sudden _changes_ in Jake while I was away, and now they aren't explaining them...I suppose you're in on the secret to?"

He gestured at his well-built body. "I _am_ the secret, like Jake is."

I laughed. "To me it just looks like you guys stumbled on steroids or something, though I'm told that that's not the case."

"It's in our genes," he said solemnly. "I lost my drug addictions ages ago."

I laughed again. Dad rolled his wheelchair into the kitchen. "Are you two almost done? Rebecca's here and she wants to pick out your next outfit, Rachel," he told us, obviously trying not to laugh.

Making a face at him, I replied, "Thirty minutes."

"I can do the rest," Paul offered.

"No, that's okay. Rebecca can wait."

"No, she can't." Rebecca walked in and analyzed me. "Just as I thought. You're a mess."

I looked down at myself. Sure I had a faint sprinkling of flour on me, but it wasn't _that_ bad. I protested forcibly as she grabbed my arm. "Paul," my evil twin said behind her shoulder as she dragged me out of the kitchen, "I'll be borrowing her for about an hour. If you need any help, ask Tom. He's good at this stuff."

"_Rebecca_," I complained as she tugged me up the stairs. "I thought you were only dressing me up once a day, not _twice_."

She didn't respond until we were in my bedroom, the bedroom that we used to share. "Today's a special occasion and I don't remember saying that it was just once a day," she informed me innocently. Turning her back to me and rummaging through my closet, she commanded me, "Sit."

Obediently I sat. "This is unnecessary," I grumbled.

She ignored me. "The guy's cute."

"What guy?" I said blankly.

"The hunk that's currently in the kitchen."

"...You mean _Paul_?" For some reason I blushed.

"Yeah. Who else would it be?"

"I suppose he is." My face grew redder.

My sister turned to me, outfit in hand. "This might - Rachel Black, are you _blushing_?"

I shook my head, feeling like an embarrassed preteen. "No!"

"_So_, you like this guy." She grinned, apparently match-making in her head.

"I just met him!" I protested.

"Well, if this guy can make you act like a sixteen year old, then it must have been some baking session." She smirked at me, probably thinking creepy thoughts.

"Nope. I'm not going to have a crush on any guy anytime soon," I said firmly. "I have a job to think about."

"Yeah, in the fall. You have _all summer_ to run around with a guy," she reminded me. "Now that I know who I want you hooked up with, I'll have to pick a better outfit." Rebecca turned her back to me and put the cloths in her hand back. "I'll be right back." She left the room.

"Stand here and look uncomfortable," Rebecca instructed me.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

My sister simply winked and looked around, probably for Tom. We _finally_ were at the bonfire after an hour of trying things on. Rebecca had eventually decided that a simple, knee-length jeans skirt (she was fond of those, at least on me) with a 'cute' light pink top was almost perfect. She forced me to wear cheap, red flip-flops. I felt like a teenage girl on her first date. Actually, it was kind of similar to what Rebecca had forced me to where on my actual first date...Luckily enough, she hadn't made me wear makeup, my worst nemesis. However, she refused to spare my hair. It was pinned back to 'put more attention' to my face.

"Rachel! What the hell are you wearing?"

I turned to see Leah walking over to us, staring at me as if I'd grown three heads. "Rebecca bribed me," I admitted sheepishly. "What do you think?"

"You look...you look..." she was speechless, a state I'd never seen her in before.

"She looks beautiful," a familiar deep voice filled in for her.

Turning slightly to see who it was, I immediately blushed. It was Paul. Why I blushed _after_ seeing who had complimented me was beyond me, though it might've been due to that intense look he always gave me. It was as if I was truly beautiful to him, in more ways than one. Mentally shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I smiled at him. "Thanks."

He smiled back. I turned to Leah, who wasn't there. She must've sneaked away. Lovely. "You've been abandoned."

I looked at Paul. "Yeah. Traitors."

"Lucky for me though." He grinned.

I flushed again, to my immense mortification. Examining him, I saw that he was wearing a dark green t-shirt and a worn out pair of jeans shorts. Watching me, he finally said something; "So, do you like smores?"

"Yes, though I always make a mess when eating them."

"I'll help you out," he offered, or basically just told me, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the fire.

"I don't know..." I protested weakly.

When we reached the bonfire, Paul left me and snagged the ingredients. As I waited, I saw a lot of people giving me knowing looks. Was there another secret that I didn't know about? If so, then why was _I_ involved with it? It probably was nothing, just an over-active imagination.

"Here," Paul said as he approached, his eyes bright with excitement, and handed me a stick with two marshmallows on it.

"Thanks."

We knelt down next to the fire. Hesitantly, I let my marshmallows hover just next to the burning embers. As I did this, I glanced at my companion. He was setting down a bag with chocolate and graham crackers in it. Boldly thrusting his medal stick into the fire, it immediately caught fire. He blew on it, revealing two burned marshmallows. Pulling my slightly browned marshmallows away from the fire (I was surprised at how fast they heated up, though it _was_ a hot fire), I lightly scolded him; "Don't eat burned things. That's how you get sick."

He snickered. "Oh, I won't get sick. But thanks." Paul handed me two gram cracker and a bar of chocolate. "Do you need any help?" he inquired.

"Um, sure."

Through some coordination, we managed to put together the smore. "Thank you," I said softly, wondering why he affected me like this. It probably was because no guy had ever paid this much attention to me before. Well, no guy who was not related to me. "Do you need help with yours?"

"Nope." He winked at me. "I can't waste any opportunity to show off."

I watched him in awe as he easily maneuvered his materials to make his smore. He did it with a skilled ease. "Wow. Pretty impressive."

"Thank you," he said, grinning wolfishly.

I dubiously looked down at the delicious treat in my hands. Mustering up all my courage, I bit into it, savoring the taste. A warm, melted mixture of chocolate and marshmallow began to cover my hands. In a few, quick, blissful bites, I finished the smore, sad that it was gone. Looking at my sticky hands I sighed and then heard a chuckle. Turning I saw Paul watching me in amusement. "Need help?"

I nodded pitifully and embarrassedly. He took out napkins from the bag next to him. However instead of handing them to me, he gently took one of my wrists in his large hand and began to wipe away the...mess off my hands. For some reason, this simple act made me blush. When he finished one hand, he moved on to the next. Throughout this, I watched his face which was lined in earnest concentration.

Soon he finished. Wadding up the napkins, he tossed them into a nearby garbage can. "Showing off again?" I laughed.

"Yep...Your hands are still sticky."

I nodded in agreement. "Sorry I'm causing all this trouble."

"Don't be," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm actually enjoying this."

My face traitorously heated up again. "Well, thanks anyways," I mumbled, looking away."

Paul shrugged, and then looked thoughtful. "Do you mind getting wet?"

"Um, sure?" The mischievous glint in his eyes made me feel slightly uneasy.

"Come with me."

Taking my small hand in his large one (he didn't seem to mind the stickiness), he led me away from the fire and to the more beachy area. I looked at him curiously, wondering what he was going to do. Calmly, he pulled me into the water. I squeaked as the freezing water hit my ankles. "This is your plan? To wash my hands in the water?" I asked.

"Yep." He seemed nervous. "Is that alright?"

"Yeah, though it's _cold_!" Bending over I put my hands in the water, cleaning them.

"You get used to it," he said simply.

I sighed wistfully; "I wish we could play in the water."

"We could."

"Well..." I looked hesitantly at the crowd of people aways away from us.

"They won't care," Paul reassured me. "They won't even notice we're gone." He quickly took off his shirt and tossed onto dry sand. Then he reached down and splashed me. Ice cold water hit my legs. Giggling, I threw my flip-flops near his shirt and splashed him back.

"This is war," I told him as I met his brown eyes, unable to contain my grin.

"You're on!"

"Still cold?" I asked Rachel as we lay on the sand, looking up at the stars.

"Just a little bit." Without looking at her, I could hear her smile. "It was worth it."

"As long as you don't get sick from it."

"What about you? Aren't you worried about getting sick?"

I smiled, mixed between the feelings of being deeply touched by her concern and frustrated at myself for worrying her. "Well, you know me. I don't get sick."

"So you say," she muttered.

I closed my eyes and listened to our surroundings. Something was off..."It sounds like most of the group has left," I commented.

"Oh...You aren't some kind of murderer that I should be worried about, right?" she teased. "I've always been told that being alone with strange men is dangerous."

I smirked. "You never know. I sometimes have a wild streak."

"I've heard...though I still can't imagine you losing your temper."

If only she would never see it..."You will, eventually," I said solemnly.

As if detecting my feelings, she shifted onto her side and face me, her head propped up by her hand. "I trust you, Paul. You wouldn't do anything rash unless you were under a lot of pressure."

"I wish," I said, my voice low.

"You're a good guy. You won't do anything overly stupid."

Turning my head to look at her, I took her in. Her beautiful face was etched in concern, her dark green eyes looking at me earnestly. The intensity of those eyes made me have to look away. I examined the rest of her. She was wearing a drenched jeans skirt which fit her figure well. Her shirt was covered by my shirt which I had insisted wrapping her in. "Thanks. That means a lot to me," I finally responded.

She blushed adorably and didn't reply as she lay on her back again. We lay in silence for awhile, but were eventually interrupted. "Paul! What are you doing with my sister?"

I inwardly groaned. Jacob. The nuisance. "Hey Jake," Rachel greeted him, her voice weary.

"Rachel," he acknowledged. "Now, are you two ready to go?"

I felt his glower on me. "Not until Rachel is."

"Is it alright if we stay out here a bit more?" Rachel inquired.

A smile on my face, I turned onto my side to face her. "Of course, sweetheart." Anything for her.

Hearing Jacob glaring, I resisted temptation to glare at him. "Thanks." I almost melted at Rachel's voice.

"Don't do anything, or else," Jacob said threateningly to me.

I snickered at his threat. "Bye Jake," I called after him, a smirk on my face.

"Why does he dislike you so much?" Rachel asked me curiously.

I winced. As much as I hated holding things from my imprint, this was a secret I couldn't share. "Well, it's part of the secret..."

"Stupid secret."

* * *

Sorry for taking so long to update. But I did update with _two_ chapters, so try to be happy. I know that in the last chapter I said that I'd been holding the chapter and not updating it. Well with this one, I've been holding it for about a month. Yes, that does make me feel like an idiot, among other things. So sorry.

Okay. I decided to put it in Paul's POV. It was really weird. And hard. And complicated. Guys have always been mysteries to me, so I hope it wasn't _too_ horrible. I was going to have it in his POV when they met at this chapter's bonfire, but I couldn't describe what Rachel was wearing without it sounding really wrong and creepy. Or making him sound like a girl. At least _that_ was amusing for me.

So yeah. I hope you enjoyed it and I will try to update as soon as possible! But I'm not making _any_ promises. Oh, yeah. If any of you are reading my other fanfics, I, unsurprisingly, won't be updating for awhile. Sorry.


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